GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
LSU is on a longer and potentially more damaging losing streak than the three-game slide in this past mid-season that knocked the Tigers out of the top 10 and the rankings all together.
On Thursday, LSU three-year starting right tackle Emery Jones Jr. of Catholic High in Baton Rogue put his name in for the NFL Draft in April and will skip his senior season with the Tigers. LSU coach Brian Kelly thought he had a chance to keep Jones, who has been projected as a late first round pick. Bleacher Report and NFL Draft Buzz, however, have Jones (6-foot-6, 322 pounds) slated for the middle rounds of the seven-round draft.
Jones is the second junior three-year starting offensive lineman to leave LSU. True high first round projection left tackle Will Campbell previously put his name in for the draft. Jones’ decision leaves LSU with one returning starter for the 2025 offensive line – redshirt freshman DJ Chester. Left guard Garrett Dellinger and right guard Miles Frazier are both seniors.
The only other returning offensive lineman who have started at least one game are redshirt freshmen Paul Mubenga and Tyree Adams. Mubenga started four games at guard for Dellinger because of an injury and played in nine. Adams started one game and played in seven.
Junior starting tight end Mason Taylor previously declared for the NFL Draft as well. The status of Jones and Taylor for the Texas Bowl against Baylor on Dec. 31 in Houston (2:30 p.m., ESPN) has not been confirmed. Campbell has said he will not play in the bowl.
Meanwhile, LSU’s potential mass exodus via the NCAA Transfer Portal grew to 16 on Thursday with former five-star signee Sage Ryan, a junior starting safety from Lafayette Christian, entering the portal. Ryan was the No. 3 safety in the nation in 2021 when he signed with LSU. He was No. 41 overall prospect nationally and No. 2 player in Louisiana. After playing in four games as a true freshman in ’21, he played in 14 with one start in 2022. He moved to cornerback in 2023 and started nine games.
Ryan moved back to safety in the 2024 season and started nine games, making 42 tackles with a sack and an interception. LSU previously lost starting wide receiver CJ Daniels to the portal.
LSU lost three straight games to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida from Oct. 26 through Nov. 16 to fall out of the College Football Playoff race from.
One of the few wins for LSU since the regular season ended was star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier electing to stay for his senior season in 2025 and not enter the NFL Draft.
In other news, previous LSU portal entry Da’Shawn Womack, who was a five-star signing in 2023, is headed to Ole Miss. He entered the portal on Dec. 3. Womack signed with LSU as the No. 3 edge rusher in the nation and No. 26 prospect overall from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. He played 12 games in 2023 and had 13 tackles with 1.5 sacks. He played in eight games in the 2024 season and made eight tackles with one sack, four quarterback hurries and four pass breakups.
Womack did not make the travel roster for LSU’s game at Florida on Nov. 16 for a lack of effort the previous week against Alabama. Womack also did not play in the last two games of the season after Florida.
LSU LOSSES TO THE NCAA TRANSFER PORTAL – 16
Here are the 16 LSU players who have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. They can transfer to another school, or exit the portal and return to LSU.
-Safety Sage Ryan, junior, starter.
-Defensive tackle Jay’Viar Suggs, senior, backup.
-Tight End Ka’Morreun Pimpton, sophomore, backup, but projected starter in 2025.
-Cornerback J.K. Johnson, junior, deep backup.
-Defensive Tackle De’Myrion Johnson, true freshman, deep backup.
-Kicker Nathan Dibert, junior, backup.
-Cornerback Jyaire Brown, junior, deep backup.
-Safety Kylin Jackson, redshirt freshman, deep backup.
-Wide Receiver Shelton Sampson, redshirt freshman, deep backup.
-Cornerback Bernard Causey, true freshman, deep backup.
-Safety Jordan Allen, sophomore, backup.
-Wide Receiver CJ Daniels, senior, starter.
-Linebacker Xavier Atkins, true freshman, deep backup.
-Defensive End Da’Shawn Womack, sophomore, deep backup, transferring to Ole Miss.
-Wide Receiver Landon Ibieta, sophomore, deep backup.
-Quarterback Rickie Collins, redshirt freshman, backup.
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